What did I do to deserve this?
by Katharina
Summary: Did Tess really kill Alex? What if somebody else killed him?
1. What did I do to deserve this?

a/n  
  
This story is set right after departure. I never was able to see the last episodes of season 2, so I'm not sure if I got every details right. Please don't be mad at me if I messed up. I hope you like it.  
  
  
  
What did I do to deserve this?  
  
"Now you're all mine."  
  
Tess didn't even look up as her tormentor walked into her little cell. She felt weak and hopeless. All she could do was close her eyes and hope she would die soon.  
  
"Don't you even wanna know what I did?" She got no answer from Tess.  
  
"Hey honey, are you listening?" By know Tess knew not to fall for her gentle voice. She was not gentle. She was brutal, vindictive, and she would kill her eventually; after she had her fun torturing her. Ignoring her lack of reaction the woman continued talking. "I've made sure nobody will ever search for you. They hate you now. They say you're a murderer." She was almost singing the words that killed all of Tess' remaining hope to ever leave this place alive. "Don't you wanna know what I did?" She repeated her former question. Tess wasn't able to reply. Why didn't she just leave her alone? "Answer me Ava!" All the false softness in her voice was vanished. "I…I do." When she got in this mood you better do what she wants. She had learned this the hard way. "Of course you do." She touched her face almost caring. Tess didn't reject. "I killed Alex." The news didn't shock or surprise Tess. She knew what the woman was able to do. To kill an innocent was nothing. "They think it was you. I really have to pad myself on the shoulder. It was a great plan."  
  
"Why didn't you just kill me?" Tess' voice sounded weak and she wasn't able to hide her fear. "Kill you, honey? I couldn't to that. It's not that simple. Your friends would come and look for you. What if they would find me? I can't let that happen. Believe me it's much better this way. See, all I had to do was to take your form and play you for a while. I made sure that they would hate you. That was quiet easy by the way. All I had to do was to sleep with Max.  
  
Then I killed Alex. Liz and Kyle found out that Alex didn't die by accident. They discovered it was my fault. Oh pardon me, of course it was your fault. They were pretty disappointed and upset. I think this Kyle had a crush on you. Anyway to make sure they wouldn't hurt me I told them I was pregnant and that I needed to go to Antar. It was so easy to persuade them that the Granolith would be the way home. You guys are really pathetic. You don't know anything about your past and the real powers you have. It was so easy to fool you. Now they think you're at Antar. Nobody misses you and they don't want to see you again. I can do with you whatever I want. You have no chance to flee. See you later honey."  
  
Tess watched the woman who had destroyed her life walk out the iron door. She couldn't believe what she just had heard. If it was true, than she would never be rescued. Lying on the cold floor she thought about how she had met her worst enemy for the first time. She had been at the Crashdown, eating lunch with Kyle. As the young woman walked in the restaurant, catching immediately the attention of everyone. Her beauty was breathtaking. She had long, silky hair, a tempting mouth, endless legs and chocolate brown eyes, hidden underneath long eyelashes. She looked kind of lost standing near the door, unsure where to go. She looked around the Crashdown and then walked over to the table where Tess and Kyle were eating. "Excuse me." Her voice was soft and melodic. "My name is Manuela. I'm new in town and I think I got lost. Could you please give me the directions to Bowman Street?" Kyle was more than pleased to help her. After that day Manuela could often be seen in the Crashdown. That was nothing unusual; Roswell didn't have that many restaurants. Occasionally she would talk to Maria or Liz, but most of the time she was sitting alone on her usual table, that one right next to the door. Later on, after she got captured, Tess learned that Manuela was watching her. She studied Tess and her friends, so she would know how to proceed.  
  
After months of being patient, but attentive Manuela finally did what she had come for. She waited until Tess was alone and then attacked her. Manuela's powers were huge. She was not only a shapeshifter, she could also control the mind. Tess really had no chance. Manuela brought her in the little cell, where she got locked away. There was no way of Tess knowing where she was and there was nobody to help her. From what Manuela had told her she knew that she had taken Tess' place. That's why nobody was looking for her. They thought she was still there.  
  
Tess sighted. She shifted around on the floor trying to get at least a little comfortable. But the floor was hard and dirty. There was no furniture in the cell, not even a mattress she could sleep on. After weeks in this cell Tess felt weak and there was not a single part of her body that didn't hurt. She hadn't give up yet for one reason. She wanted to know why Manuela did all this to her. What did Ava do that she had deserved this? Why was she in hell? As many nights before, Tess cried until she was too tired and fell asleep. 


	2. Come home

Kyle was sleeping on the coach. He knew that was stupid. She was gone now. He could have is room back. But the truth was he didn't want the room. All he wanted was Tess. He wanted her back.  
  
"Kyle, I'm going out with Amy."  
  
Kyle just shrugged his shoulders. There were other things to worry about than his dad dating Maria's mum. Tess was gone a week now and he still felt the pain he had felt first when he discovered what she had done. He still couldn't believe it though. His Tess could never kill someone, especially not Alex; he was their friend. She would never betray him.  
  
Strangely the thought of her being pregnant by Max hurt him equally. He had never been able to admit it as long as she was there, but now he had to face it. He couldn't close his eyes anymore. He was in love with Tess. He wanted to deny it, but he couldn't. His heart broke in that moment he learned about the truth.  
  
The last week he had spent at home. He didn't want to see anybody. He just wanted to forget; wanted the pain to stop. Waking up and discover everything had just been a terrible nightmare. That she still was in his room, wearing his blue jersey, lying on his bed and reading a magazine.  
  
"Kyle are you at home?"  
  
"DeLuca what are you doing here?"  
  
"Ahm, your dad just picked up my mum. I heard him say you wouldn't feel so good. I thought I just look what you're doing."  
  
"Leave me alone." First Maria was offended by his harsh voice and wanted to go. But then she took a closer look at Kyle. He was very pale and had dark rings under his eyes. His eyes were red and she was almost sure that he had cried.  
  
"You know what? I'm just gonna stay for a while. There was no reaction from Kyle at all. At this point Maria would have been glad when he had yelled at her. She couldn't stand him just sitting there and starring. Maria sat next to him on the couch.  
  
"You know where your dad takes my mum tonight? They go to this little Chinese restaurant that has just opened in Roswell. I've heard it is great. There food is supposed to be amazing…" Her voice was light and she was smiling. She didn't stop talking. She told him about the new restaurant, her teachers at school, and her mum. She never got an answer from him, but about half an hour later she felt his head on her shoulder. He was sleeping. Maria didn't know that, but it was the first time he really slept since Tess was gone. She didn't want to leave him, so she just sat on the couch in Valenti's living room, Kyle leaning against her.  
  
She still sat like this when Jim came home. Surprised he looked at Maria. She laid her finger on her lip, to tell him to be quiet. Valenti went over to Maria. "Since when are you here?" he asked in a low voice.  
  
"I went over when you picked up my mom. I thought Kyle could use some company." Jim nodded: "I'll call your mom, so she knows were you are."  
  
"Thanks."  
  
"Sure. Maria, did he tell you anything?"  
  
"No, he didn't say a word. I think he just misses Tess."  
  
"Yeah." Jim went to get a blanket for Maria and Kyle and then he went to bed. Before he fell asleep he called Amy to tell her that Maria was at his house.  
  
The next morning Kyle woke up early. He wasn't surprised that he found himself sleeping on the couch again; only the fact that his head was resting in Maria's lab confused him slightly. But soon he remembered that she had come over last night. Obviously she had stayed after he had fallen asleep. Slowly he sat up, trying not to wake her. He wasn't very successful though, because Maria awoke immediately.  
  
"Good Morning Kyle."  
  
"Morning, Maria."  
  
"You feelin' better?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Kyle?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"You are a bad liar. No tell me what's the matter."  
  
"Are you really asking that, Maria? You know what happened last week."  
  
"Of course I do. But why are you so down. I thought you didn't like her living with you anyway."  
  
"No, that's not true. Well, maybe at the beginning. But now I mss her. I just want her to come back."  
  
"Even though you know she is a murderer?"  
  
"I can't believe she really did that."  
  
"Kyle you have seen her."  
  
"I know, but my Tess would never kill Alex."  
  
Maria noticed the change in his voice when he talked about "his Tess'. She realized how much he was in love with her. Even the fact that she killed Alex couldn't change that. She laid her arm around Kyle, trying to comfort him a little. But her heart told her that there was nothing that could comfort him. 


	3. The reason why

Tess lay in her cell, starring at the ceiling. She had lost track of time. How long has she been here? Well, it didn't really matter. Her time was over anyway. She couldn't hold out much longer. Manuela definitely knew how to torture someone. She didn't hit her or something else. She didn't use this kind of violence at all. She used her powers to hurt Tess. This was worse than anything Tess had ever known before. "Why doesn't anyone help me?"  
  
"Oh honey, don't you remember. I took care of that. Nobody will ever come to your rescue."  
  
That was true. Because of Manuela everybody thought she was a murderer. But she could never kill someone. How could her friends believe she would be capable of murder? Didn't they know her at all?  
  
Due to her pain Tess became unconscious. In her dreams she saw pictures rushing by. Most of them were from Kyle, but there were others too. Pictures from Jim, Max, Isabel, even from Liz. Shed wished she could see them again. But she had no hope.  
  
When she woke up she was alone again. She took a big breath, trying to ease the pain. It didn't really help. Too soon Manuela came back.  
  
"Had a nice nap?" She was about to start her torture again when Tess asked a question. The one she had always wanted to asked, but was never sure if she wantedt o know the answer.  
  
Why do you do this to me?"  
  
"What do you mean, honey?"  
  
"What did I do to deserve this?"  
  
"You mean you can't remember? You don't know what you did?"  
  
"I don't remember much from Ava's life."  
  
"Then let me tell you what you did. It happened of course at Antar. You were the king's wife. You had a lot of power. People bowed in front of you, they did everything you wanted them to do. You had everything a woman ever wishes for. But all this didn't belong to you. You had no right to take it. I was supposed to be queen! I should have been in your place. I was intended to be Zan's wife. Only when he met you, he decided to pick his bride for himself. He wouldn't do what his family wanted. I lost everything. It was your fault and you will pay for it."  
  
Tess started laughing. She didn't know herself how she could laugh in such a situation. "Are you telling me, you do all this just because Max didn't love you?"  
  
Her laughing made Manuela furious. Nobody had the right to laugh about Manuela, especially not Tess. Tess didn't see in which danger she was. She laughed so hard that her stomach hurt. "STOP IT!" Manuela screamed. She lost all her control. She tried to kill Tess with her powers, but she was not concentrated enough.  
  
This little mistake Tess used for her own advantage. She sensed that this was her last chance. With her own alien powers she created a illusion for Manuela. Manuela lost too much of her control to realize what Tess was doing. Believing that Tess would sit laughing on the floor she focused her powers on that point. But Tess was already on her way out of the door. She had to hurry; her powers were not strong enough to mislead Manuela for a long time. Before she could go through the door, Manuela discovered her little trick. Tess opened the door and run for her life. 


	4. Contact

She never really had a change. After months in that tiny, dark cell, she was weak and she couldn't run very fast. Manuela knew that Tess couldn't escape. But that didn't mean that Tess wouldn't at least try. As fast as she could she ran up the stairs and along a long corridor. She came do a door that she pushed open. Bright daylight floated into the corridor. Tess had to close her eyes in pain. It has been a long time since she had seen the sun. Tess stumbled outside, trying to see where she was. She did a few steps, and then she stopped. There was no point in running any further. There was no place she could go. She was in the middle of the desert. She wouldn't get far.  
  
"Did you think we would be in the middle of Roswell? How stupid to you think I am?" Manuela stepped behind her. She enjoyed this scene. Tess fell on her knees and then to the ground. She looked up in the sky. She felt the warm sun on her skin and the hot stones underneath her. Her mind formed only one question: "Kyle, where are you?" Then Manuela's powers hit her and she started screaming.  
  
  
  
  
  
Kyle sat straight up. In his dreams he had seen Tess. She was in the desert, screaming. 


	5. Disbelief

"Kyle, there's no way that Tess is in the desert. She is at Antar."  
  
"But I saw her."  
  
"It was a dream."  
  
"No it wasn't."  
  
"Guys, stop it." Liz stepped between Max and Kyle. "That doesn't help."  
  
"Kyle, tell me exactly what you saw." Isabel demanded.  
  
"I saw Tess lying on the ground of the desert. She was screaming in pain. I guess she was close to an old building or something."  
  
"The old biological institution. It was built far out in the desert, but is abandoned right now.  
  
"Was there anybody else?"  
  
"Yeah, do you remember that girl who was always sitting over there at the table right next to the door?  
  
"Manuela, you saw her?"  
  
"I guess so."  
  
"That is ridiculous." Michael thought the same as Max. "It was just a dream."  
  
"No. It was not a dream. It was different." But nobody believed him. They all felt sorry for him. It was hard for him to lose Tess.  
  
"Kyle, why don't I bring you home and…"  
  
"You don't believe me, Maria. Do you?"  
  
"Kyle, Tess is gone."  
  
"Just forget it." Kyle run out of the Crashdown, to his car.  
  
"Kyle, wait." But it was too late. He was already gone.  
  
"Maria, maybe he needs some time alone."  
  
"Are you crazy? I'll bet he is on his way to the desert right now. We can't let him go alone." She was right. He was their friend and they couldn't let him down. Max, Michael, Isabel, Liz and Maria got into Max's Jeep, even though it was pretty crowded with all five of them, and followed Kyle.  
  
They arrived almost at the same time at the old testing area as Kyle.  
  
"Kyle wait." Kyle turned around to see Maria.  
  
"What are you doing here? I thought you guys don't believe me."  
  
"Kyle lets go home, please." He turned around and went into the building. Maria and the others followed.  
  
"Be sensible Kyle. Nobody is in there." Max grabbed Kyle's arm and wanted to pull him outside. They then heard an bloodcurdling scream. There were not alone in the building. 


End file.
